Butte County
Biographies
ALFRED C. HEIMBACH
A. C. HEIMBACH.--The distinction of being the pioneer groceryman in Chico is enjoyed by A. C. Heimbach, a straightforward, upright businessman and one noted for his square-dealing with the public. He was born in Detroit, Mich., in 1852, and was reared in St. Paul, Minn. His father, Charles Christopher Heimbach, was born in Saxony, and was a shoemaker by trade. He came to the United States and settled in Detroit, Mich., when he was a young man of eighteen years. The grandfather had charge of the King’s gardens in Saxony. He died at St. Paul, Minn., at the age of ninety-six. After having lived for a number of years in Detroit, the Heimbach family removed to St. Paul, Minn., in 1856, and here the elder Heimbach opened one of the first boot and shoe stores in that city, in time employing sixteen hands in making boots and shoes. During the residence of the family there the Indian massacre occurred at New Ulm in 1862. The Indians were overtaken and thirty-two of those captured were hanged on a scaffold at Mankato. Mr. Heimbach carried on his business until he retired, having gained a competence. He came to California and spent his last days in Oakland, regretting that he did not come to this state at an early date, for the advantages were so much greater than in many other sections he was familiar with. He died at the age of eighty-six years, in February, 1915. He married Nancy Haley, born in Connecticut of Scotch-Irish ancestry. She died in St. Paul in 1862. The three sons and two daughters in the family are all living, and of these A. C. Heimbach is the oldest.
When a child of but four years of age, A. C. Heimbach was taken to St. Paul by his parents, where he grew up amongst the scenes of frontier days. He attended the public school, and, when fourteen, carried papers for the St. Paul Pioneer, now the Pioneer Press. He also clerked in a dry goods store during vacations, from the time he was twelve until he reached fifteen, at which time he went to Detroit and in that city became an employe of the P. and R. Huyser Company, a large grocery concern of Detroit, and remained with them seven years. He returned to St. Paul, finding at that time a city of thirty-six thousand population, while seven years before it was less than twenty thousand; Minneapolis had reached about forty thousand, and the two cities had almost grown together. One year was spent in St. Paul, then Mr. Heimbach traveled to Chicago, and there he was employed by the wholesale firm of Harper Brothers, one of the largest grocery concerns there. His position was that of salesman and tea specialist. After spending five years with this firm he decided to come to California, so he resigned his position, at which time he was told that the firm would hold it open to him for ten years, thus showing their confidence in and esteem for the young man. He had had a friend, William Roberts, in Butte City, Cal., but upon his arrival here on January 1, 1879, he did not find Mr. Roberts. The journey to the Coast took thirteen days--and it was not made in the upholstered Pullmans of today.
From the day of his arrival, Mr. Heimbach liked California. He began working for W. Frank Miller, in Butte City, and two years later purchased a quarter interest in the business, which he retained for six years. Selling out, he came to Chico and became a clerk in the grocery department of Tickner-Burnham and Company, and later was foreman with Baer-Weil and Company, who had bought out that department. In 1894 Mr. Heimbach started in business for himself, the name of the store being the Heimbach Grocery, now the oldest grocery store in the city. His first store was located on Broadway, where the Velvet Cafe is now, but fourteen years later, in 1908, the city having grown and the business expanded in proportion, he moved to his present place at the corner of Sixth and Broadway. He has been ably assisted for the past fourteen years by his son. Mr. Heimbach erected a residence on Main near Sixth Street, where he lives in comfort, surrounded by many luxuries, and in the society of his family.
Mr.
Heimbach was united in marriage, at Colusa, with Miss
Catherine Howard, a native of Picton, Ontario. She died in 1916, at the age of
fifty-six years, leaving two children: Alfred Ray, assistant to his father in
the store, and Ethel, the wife of William Rau, of Chico. Mr. Heimbach is a
member of Great Oak Camp, W. O. W.; the Foresters, and the Workmen, until the
latter was disbanded. For thirteen years he was superintendent of the Broadway
Methodist Episcopal Sunday School. He belongs to the Business Men’s
Association, and was president of the Merchants and Clerks’ Association, and
did valiant service to have the merchants adopt early closing, also for
building the city sewer and the high school, the association winning the bond
election after it had been twice voted down. Politically he is a Democrat. He
is interested in city and county prosperity, and he supports all projects for
the betterment of the community and is highly esteemed by his business
associates and friends.
Transcribed by Vicky
Walker, 1/3/08.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 606-607, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2007 Vicky
Walker.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies